Ladder step



April 2, 1968 E. GEORGE LADDER STEP Filed Nov. 28, 1966 INVENTOR. 5012x420 650 965; BY

United States Patent 3,375,899 LADDER STEP Edward George, Stamford, Tex., assignor of fifty percent to Lawrence E. George, Lower Burrell, Pa., and fifty percent to Jane J. Miller, Stamford, Tex.

Filed Nov. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 597,425 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-122) ABSTRACT or THE DISCLOSURE A portable step attachment for use on a ladder including notched sidewalls engageable over a ladder rung and a transverse stop rod engaged through the lower portion of the sidewalls and engageable on the ladder rails.

This invention relates to portable step attachments for use with ladders, and more particularly to a step attachment adapted to be employed with a ladder of the type having spaced dowel-shaped rungs and side rails to which the rungs are rigidly-connected.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ladder-step attachment which is simple in construction, which is easy to mount on the ladder, and which is safe to use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved step attachment for use on a ladder of the type having dowel-shaped spaced rungs and side rails to which the rungs are connected, the attachment being adaptable for use either with a ladder having a single section or one having double rungs, for example, a ladder of the extension type, the attachment involving relatively inexpensive components, being sturdy in construction, being adjustable in accordance with variations in the ladder structures with which it is employed, and being provided with safety lock means for securing the attachment in operative position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved ladder-step attachment which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate, which is durable, which is relatively compact in size, which is light in weight, and which is easy to store or transport.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of a conventional extension ladder with a step attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention mounted on the ladder.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical crosssectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the ladder-step attachment of FIGURES 1 and 2, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the ladderstep attachment of FIGURES 1 and 2, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing, 11 generally designates an improved portable ladder-step attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention. The attachment 11 comprises a rectangular step plate 12 of suitable rigid material, such as relatively thick sheet aluminum, for example, aluminum plate one-quarter inch thick, the top surface of the step plate 12 being suitably roughened or knurled, as shown at 13. Rigidly-secured to the side edges of the step plate 12 are respective depending vertical side plates 14, 15, the side plates being rigidly-braced to the step plate 12 by the use of top and bottom pairs of angle bars 16 and 17 connecting the side marginal portions of step plate 12 to the top marginal portions of the side plates 14 and 15, the angle bars being rigidly-secured, as by rivets, or the like, to both the step plate 12 and the top marginal portions of the side plates 14 and 15. As shown in FIGURE 4, the top edges of the side plates 14 and 15 and the vertical flanges of the top angle bars 16, 16 project above the plane of. the horizontal step plate 12.

The side plates 14 and 15 are of suitable rigid sheet material, such as aluminum of substantial thickness, for example, one-eighth inch thick. The side plates 14 and 15 are of identical shape, being substantially L-shaped, as shown in FIGURE 2, having horizontal top arms 18 and depending vertical arms 19. The bottom edges of top arms 18 are formed with the spaced downwardly-facing relatively deep notches 20 and 21, the downwardly-facing notches 20 and 21 being spaced to fit over and receive the spaced parallel rungs 22 and 23 of the front and rear, relatively adjustable sections of a conventional extension ladder 24 similar to that shown in FIGURE 1.

Thelower front corner portions of the depending arms 19 of the side plates 14 and 15 are formed with spaced apertures 26, pairs of which are transversely-aligned, adapted to receive a transverse stop rod 27 in a selected pair of transversely-aligned apertures, as shown in FIG- URE 1. Thus, the stop rod 27 is engaged through the proper transversely-aligned pair of apertures 26, 26 which will place the rod in a position such that the top plate 12 will be supported substantially horizontally by the engagement of the opposite end portions of rod 27 with the outermost side rails 28, 28 of the ladder assembly.

If the ladder with which the device is employed has only a single section, the attachment is mounted on a selected rung thereof by engaging the rung in a pair of transversely-aligned notches 20, 20 or 21, 21 of the side plates of the attachment and the rod 27 is engaged through a selected pair of transversely-aligned apertures 26, 26 such as to support the top plate 12 in a substantially horizontal position, with the ladder in its inclined position leaning against the wall of a building, or leaning against any other rigid support. The rod 27 is readily removable from the apertures 26 for adjustment of the rod, the rod being provided with removable cotter pins 30, 30 located externally adjacent side plates 14 and 15.

Pivotally-connected at 31 to the lower front corner portion of side plate 15 for swinging movement in a plane parallel to that of plate 15, subjacent the row of apertures 26 thereof is a flat safety catch arm 32 provided with a rung-engaging notch 33 at its lower end. The notch 33 is formed in the inside lower edge portion of the arm 32 and the arm 32 is swingable so that the notch 33 is engageable over and can receive the next subjacent rung 22 on the outermost ladder section of the assembly on which the device is employed, in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 2. If the attachment 11 is employed on a ladder having only a single section, the arm 32 is lockinglyengageable with the rung immediately subjacent to that on which the selected pair of notches of side plates 14 and 15 are engaged. The notch 33 is of substantial depth so that it cannot be readily disengaged from the rung re ceived therein, being disengageable from such rung only by manually-rotating arm 32 outwardly away from its locking position. Being pivoted at 31 to the lower forward corner portion of side plate 15, the arm 32 naturally tends to assume a depending position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, so that it tends to remain in locking position when the attachment is in use.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the rod 27 is of sufficient length so that its end portions extend substantial distances beyond the side plates 14 and 15, whereby the end portions of the rod 27 will be engageable with the side rails of the ladder section on which the attachment is mounted. This supports the attachment so that the top plate 12 thereof is substantially horizontal, whereby the user may employ it as a platform or supporting surface for performing various tasks, such as painting, or the like.

While a specific embodiment of an improved portable step attachment for ladders has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a double ladder assembly having front and rear relatively adjustable sections with respective sets of rungs parallel and spaced from each other, a ladder step attachment comprising a rigid step plate, respective depending side plates rigidly-secured to the opposite end margins of said step plate and being in substantially parallel relationship, said side plates being substantially L-shaped and having substantially horizontal top arm portions, each being formed with two spaced downwardly-facing relatively deep notches fitting over and receiving a selected set of spaced parallel rungs of the double ladder assembly and having substantially vertical depending front arms, and a transverse abutment rod extending through and projecting laterally beyond the lower portions of said vertical front arms and being supportingly-engaged on the side rails of the front ladder section.

2. The ladder step attachment of claim 1, and a flat latch arm pivoted to one of the side plates for rotation in a plane parallel to said one side plate and having a rearwardly-facing notch in an edge thereof lockinglyreceiving a ladder rung below that received in said firstnamed notches.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,943 11/1895 Taylor et a1. 248-238 1,452,182 4/ 1923 Butrum 248238 2,486,783 11/1949 Hartman et al. 182120 2,948,349 8/1960 Reddy 18212l REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

